The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the potentiality of grain refinement as a strengthening mechanism in wrought austentic stainless steels. Attention was focused on additions of columbium to Type 304 stainless steel base compositions.

The results show that small additions of columbium retard recrystallization and grain growth during annealing following cold working. For example, the addition of about 0.2 per cent columbium to a Type 304 L base composition is capable of increasing its yield strength by about 50 per cent to about 40,000 psi. This same addition to a Type 304 base, coupled with the elimination of the process anneal after hot-working, produces a yield strength increase of about 100 per cent, that is, up to 50,000 to 60,000 psi. This effect is observed even when the hot-finishing temperature is sufficiently high to give a recrystallized structure before cold working and final annealing.